Face protecting helmet



Ma'y21,1946. I Q BQWERS 7 2,400,480 v FACE PROTECTING HELMET Filed March13, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 7 I I ade/don Mar/es 1i. .Kkdem;

May 21, 1946. c. E, BOWERS FACE PROTECTING HELMET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMarch 15, 1944 a W w Char/e a l I v Patented May 21, 1946 UNITED'STATESPATENT OFFICE' FACE PROTECTING HELMET.

Charles'E. Bowers, Moylan, Pa., assignor to The Fibre-Metal ProductsCompany, Chester, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application Marchis, 1944, Serial No. 526,210

5 Claims.

The present. invention relates to helmets for welders or other uses, andmore particularly to an improved headgear assembly.v I In helmets of theface-protecting character here under consideration, .it is customary tomount the'helmet on a headgear which allows the helmet to be swung froma working or workviewing position to a position above the head of theuser so that the work can be inspected at intervals, or while a new jobis made ready. Such constructions generally connect the head banddirectly to the helmet'by a pivotal means coincident with the axis ofrotation of the helmet, and since this arrangement brings the sides ofthe head band close to the inner sides of the helmet, there is no spaceor clearance for the band to spread laterally, as is often necessary forheads of different thickness. While this lack of flexibility is onedisadvantage, an equally objectionable feature resides in the fact thatpivots so located prevent raising or lowering the headgear with respectto the plane of sight through the helmet window. This is a mostimportant consideration because if the users eyes are not properlyregistered with the helmet window, the field ofyision is seriouslyimpaired.

some of the objects of the present invention are: to provide an improvedmounting for a helmet upon a headgear; to provide a helmet mounting inwhich the headgear has an appre-' ciable lateral flexibility-forself-adjustment upon the head of the user; to provide a helmet mountingwhich is pivoted upon an axis separate from the axis about which thehelmet rotates with respect to the headgear; to provide a helmetmounting wherein the headgear can be raised or lowered within the helmetto vary the relation between the headgear and the helmet window ation'with the support; Fig. 6 represents a detail on the same scale showingthe headgear parts as assembled with the support; Fig. 7 represents asection on line 1'l'of Fig. 6; and Fig. 3 represents a detail in endelevation in part section of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, one form of the present invention is shown asassembled upon a helmet ll! of generally conventional face-protectingshape having the usual framed glass window II in the front thereof forobservation purposes. I

For supporting the helmet on the head of a user, it is provided with ahead band I2, shaped to conform to the contour of a head, and generallyof oval configuration, and has a provision for size adjustment by atake-up mechanism I3, such adjustable arrangement being Well known inthe art. This band I2 is arranged to be supported by a top strap [4riveted or otherwise made fast at opposite ends to the band l2, whichtop strap [4 in use extends laterally across and rests upon the head ofthe user; As shown, the ends I5 of the strap I 4 are reversed indirection and lie beside the strap H but in spaced relation with respectthereto for a purpose to be later described. Each end l5 has a hole l6therein to register with a hole I! in the adjacent portion of the topstrap M.

In order to mount the entire headgear so that the helmet can be swung toeither of its two po: sitions, two square blocks l8 are provided, one

v for'each side of the headgear, thesebeing rel4. Each block'18 has abearing hole 22, and

and thereby make correction for different levels of the eyes ofdifierent users; to provide a novel spring-controlled retaining meansfor temporarily locking the helmet in either of two positions; and toprovide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 repre-, sents a rear elevation of ahelmet embodying one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents asection on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary sectionshowing one of the headgear supports on a larger scale ready for theattachment of the headgear; Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of one ofthe headgears supporting and adjusting arms on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5represents a detail of the headgear on the same scale showing the partsfor cooperthe strips 20 locate the blocks IB so that in assembledcondition of the parts, these holes 22 are in register with the holes I6and IT.

For supporting the headgear on the helmet, two tapered arms 23 areprovided with apertures l9 positioned for registration respectively withthe holes I6, I! and 22 to respectively receive bearing pins 24, each ofwhich passes through a strap end [5, a block [8, and the strap M,whereby two journals are formed about which these parts can turn to thuschange the position of the helmet with respect to the headgear. In boththe operative and inoperative positions of thehelmet, it is desirable totemporarily anchor it but in a manner for easy release. As here shown,two springs 25 are coiled respectively about two pins 26 which are fixedto the respective arms 23 in such a position that the two end fingers 21of each spring 25 can engage the block l8 which is adjacent thereto.Each pair of spring fingers 21 receive a block 3 between them, and dueto the crossed relation of the lengths 21, are placed under tensionwhich firmly grip the block. Thus, the two spaced spring fingers 21 gripopposite flats on the block and function as releasable locks whereby thehelmet is held in either of its two positions, but can be readily swungto the other position whereupon the spring fingers 21 assume gripingpositions upon the new flats of the blocks !8. The arms 23 arepreferably formed of some material having sufficient flexibility topermit the required lateral movement to compensate for either expansionor for self-adjustment of the head band. Retaining end washers 39prevent displacement of the fingers 21.

As a-means for mounting the arms 23 upon. the helmet, each liessubstantially horizontal along one inner side of the helmet and ispivoted at 28 in relatively close proximity to the inner wall of thefront of the helmet, but preferably above the window H. The pivot bolts29 are axially alined so that the two arms 23 swing in the same are andthus raise or lower the headgear with respect to th window ii. Each arm23 has a row of adjustment holes 35 laid out on an arc having a pivot 28as a center, while a locking bolt 3! is provided for engagement in aselected hole and passes through the adjacent side of the helmet. Thus,the pair of arms 23 can be adjusted to any one of a number of positions,and locked by inserting and tightening the bolts 31.

It will now be apparent that a complete unitary helmet and headgearassembly has been devised which is novel and produces a result notattained by helmet and headgear mountings heretofore on the market.Among the new features it should be particularly noted that the journalsof the headgear are respectively in the ends of two arms which areattached to the helmet eccentric to and remote from the headgearjournals. Thus, the journal ends of these arms are spaced from the sidesof the helmet and leave a clearance space which allows free flexing ofthe arms so that the head band can expand laterally as required to aidin the self-adjustment for users head of different width. Furthermore,by releasably securing the arms eccentric to the journals but on alinedaxis respectively, the arms can be swung to any one of a number ofpositions to change the position of the headgear vertically with respectto the window. This ensures each user being able to shift the headgearto correctly position it so that the eyes of the user are properlyregistered with the window.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

til

1. The combination of a helmet having a window, a headgear, means. formounting said helmet on said headgear for movement about a horizontalaxis, and means including pivots attached to said helmet between saidaxis and said window for adjustably supporting said mounting means,whereby the vertical relation of said window to the line of vision canbe varied for difierent users.

2. Th combination of a helmet having a window, a headgear, means formounting said helmet on said headgear for movement about a horizontalaxis, means including alined pivots attached to said helmet between saidaxis and. said window for adjustably supporting said mounting means,whereby the vertical relation of said window to the line of vision canbe varied for different users, and means for locking said supportingmeans in any one of a number of adjusted positions.

3. The combination of a helmet having a window, a headgear, means formounting said helmet on said headgear for movement about a horizontalaxis, means including alined pivots attached to said helmet between saidaxis and said window for adjustably supporting said mounting means,whereby the vertical relation of said window to the line of vision canbe varied for diiferent users, and spring controlled means for holdingsaid helmet in either of two positions.

4. The combination of a helmet having a window, a headgear, two arms,means including pivots for attaching said arms to the respective innersides of said helmet for swinging movement, means at the opposite endsof said arms from said pivots for journalling said headgear to andbetween said arms, and arm anchoring means between said attaching meansand said journalling means for permitting the selection of any one of anumber of arm positions, whereby the relative position of said headgearto said window can be changed.

5. The combination of a helmet having a window, a headgear, two arms,means including pivots for attaching said arms to the respective innersides of said helmet for swinging movement, means at the opposite endsof said arms from said pivots for journalling said headgear to andbetween said arms, and arm anchoring means including apertures in saidarms and bolts engageable in selected apertures for permitting theselection of any one of a number of arm positions, said apertures beingarranged on an are havin said attaching means as a center.

CHARLES E. BOWERS.

